According to Brian Bartizek, the annual Antique Sale on Lebanon's historic town green is the major fund raiser for the Lebanon Historical Society. Bartizek was the dealer liaison for this year's event, the 48th annual, which drew a total of 54 vendors. The sale is limited to antiques and collectibles.

"We try to say 1950 and older," said Bartizek. Normally drawing between 1,000 and 1,400 visitors, this year's event, held on an unseasonably-warm Sept. 27, was expected to be well-trafficked. "It's definitely been over 1,000," said Bartizek, about an hour before the show's close. "There are a lot of shows that would love to have that many people come through," said Bartizek.

Among the vendors this year were Windham's Mayor Ernest Eldridge and his wife, Anita Sebestyen. The pair have been in the antique/auctions business for more than 30 years. Two years ago, the couple outfitted their booth at the Lebanon show with items reflecting Eldridge's preference − primitives and country collectibles. This year's booth focused on Sebestyen's passion − vintage linens, textiles and clothing. Among the offerings was a black Victorian capelet. Sebestyen offered to try the item on the shoulders of a visitor. The capelet, intricately hand-beaded, was also adorned with beaded fringe. "It's very heavy," said Sebestyen. "Each of those beads is made of black jet."

Sebestyen said that the traffic had been good at this year's show. "There was a line waiting to get in when I got here, which was good," she said. "It's been really nice and steady throughout the day."

At a nearby booth, South Glastonbury residents Peter and Trish Manfredi also revealed their individual preferences through the items offered at their Domestic Cow Antiques and Events booth. Pointing to an extensive collection of Rose and Rooster kitchenware, Peter said that the intricately-painted pieces represented his wife's area of interest. Peter's own interests lie more along the lines of a large collection of antique milk bottles that dominated one side of the couple's display. The oldest bottle offered dated back to 1929, from Connecticut Agricultural College, one of the early incarnations of the University of Connecticut. But there are much older bottles out there, said Manfredi. "And there are places now that are starting to do home delivery again," he said.

For upcoming events sponsored by the Lebanon Historical Society, see the group's website at http://www.historyoflebanon.org.